The bitter wind's fury
by Sapphire1112
Summary: One shot. Sam has a plan. I do not own the characters. Strachamp.


"Charlie, can I ask you a favour?"

"You can _try_ , Sam. - What is it?"

"Are you and Duffy busy tonight?"

"Not that I know of. _Why?_ "

"Well, you know how much Connie's struggling at the moment?" He paused. She's overwhelmed by everything – I know because I've been there. Part of it's anger – anger at the whole situation and she _needs_ to get that out."

"Yes,I would be inclined to agree, Sam." Charlie nodded. "But what can we do to help? - You're not planning to take her out for dinner or something, are you?" He added. "- because I hate to say it, Sam but I don't think Connie would _agree_ to go on a date with you!"

Sam faked a pained expression. "Oh, come on, Charlie me and Connie are doing better!" He exclaimed. "But no – that _wasn't_ what I was intending. What she needs right now is to be able to _yell_ – I mean _really_ yell!" He explained. "She needs to get it all out and I can help her with that...I know _exactly_ what buttons to press..."

"I've _noticed_!" Charlie sighed. "You want Duffy and I to have Grace overnight?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Sam responded. "It would _destroy_ Connie if Grace got upset by her yelling.!"

"Ok, Sam – I'll speak to Duffy." Charlie agreed.

"Thank you – I appreciate it."...

"But _why_ Daddy? - Why can't I stay with you and Mummy?" Grace protested later, when Sam put forward his suggestion .

"Listen, sweetie." He explained. "Cancer is very difficult on many levels – not _just_ the physical effects, but it also brings with it different stages of emotions. Sometimes, it can be very _overwhelming_ when you have all those emotions. Your brain doesn't know what to do with them and you just want to _yell_."

Grace was listening intently. "Is that what Mummy feels like? - _She wants to yell_?"

He nodded. "Yes. I think so – and I can help her with it, but it won't be very nice for you to hear and your Mum would be devastated if she frightened you."

"It won't frighten me, Daddy." Grace exclaimed confidently.

" _It might, darling_." Sam told her gently. "And that's the _last_ thing your Mum wants, so whether you are or not – she will still be afraid that it might..."

"...so she might not yell as much as she needs to." Grace finished for him. "Ok, Daddy. I'll stay with Charlie and Duffy tonight if you think it will help Mummy."

Now all Sam had to do was persuade Connie...

"We need to talk." Sam called through the closed door that evening, when she asked who was knocking.

"Is...Grace with you?"

"No."

"Then _go away_ , _Sam_. I don't want to talk to you." she responded stubbornly.

He sighed. "Connie, you may as well open the door because I've got Gracie's keys, so I'll just open it anyway."

There was a strangled noise that sounded halfway between a growl and a swearword, but the door opened. "If you want something to drink, do it yourself!" Connie announced rudely. "I'm in no mood to _wait on arrogant gits_."

"Would _you_ like something to drink?" he asked, ignoring her insult.

" _No!_ " She spat at him, not bothering to thank him for the offer. She stormed off into the living room. Sam sighed again. _She was angry alright._

Connie looked a bit surprised when he walked into the room a few minutes later and pushed a steaming cup of tea into her hands. "I said I didn't want anything."

"I know you did – but I made you one _anyway_." He replied warmly, sipping his coffee.

" _Why?_ "

"You don't normally turn down a cup of tea, no matter _who's_ made it." Sam commented.

Connie looked away and her tone suddenly became quieter. " _No._ Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I _am_ nice." He remarked lightly. She remained facing away from him – seemingly staring at a blank wall, so he he sat down on the sofa next to her.

Sam had considered charging in like a bull in a china shop, yelling insults at her, but ultimately, this was how he had decided to play it. Softly-softly to start with. He would tell her that he was there for her to yell at. She needed a scapegoat for the Cancer – for the whole situation and he was a willing volunteer. If it didn't work – which he suspected it wouldn't, then he knew which buttons to press.

"Why are you _really_ here, Sam?" She muttered without looking at him.

"I know what you're going through, Con." He said quietly. " _I've been there, remember._ I know all the different emotions that go your head and I know how _overwhelming_ they can be. I _also_ know that one of the strongest feelings is anger. Anger at _anything_ and _everything_ you can be angry at. You need to yell and as I said – _that's_ why I'm here." He told her. "I'm here so you can yell at me."

She turned to look at him and shook her head. "Why would I yell at _you_ , Sam?"

"You don't _usually_ have trouble finding a reason." He remarked.

She drained her cup of tea and stood up. "I'm going to bed. You can let yourself out, can't you."

Sam sighed. He would have to push her buttons. " _You can't run away from everything, Connie_."

"Does it look like I'm running, Sam?" She retorted. "Because this isn't running – this is _walking_."

"I know you need to talk." Sam insisted, trying to work out which button was the best one to start with. "And deep down you _want_ to talk to me."

"No. I _don't._ " She answered.

"You let me in."

"You didn't give me much choice!" Connie snorted, moving closer to the exit of the room. "You were going to let yourself in _anyway_."

Sam took a deep breath. Here it goes, he thought – time to light the fireworks. "I _meant_ to ask Grace for her keys – but I forgot." He explained, moving in front of her so that there was barely any space between them.

She jabbed her finger at his chest accusingly. "You lied! - _to me_!"

He could feel the heat of her growing rage and sharpness of her fingernail through his shirt. She needed to cut her nails – he would almost certainly have marks there later. "You didn't _have_ to let me in." He reminded her quietly.

He knew he was definitely pushing her buttons now and because he was remaining calm as her rage boiled, it only served to make her more angry - and she was getting angry by the minute. Sam wasn't finished though – she hadn't yelled yet and he had a suspicion that that he was going to end up with at least one slap in the face before she was finished, but that was the point. He was ready for it.

"That's beside the point." She hissed. "Anyway – it's cold and pouring with rain."

" _Oh?_ " He commented. "Anyone would think you _cared_ about me."

"No." She glared at him. "You can catch _hypothermia_ for all I care, Sam. You're so bloody arrogant and the most irritating man I _ever_ laid eyes on!"

" _Ouch!_ " He chuckled – aware that his laughter would more than likely further enrage her. "It didn't stop you jumping on me in the store room – did it?"

"I didn't – _you_ picked me up!" She retorted.

He moved closer to her flirtatiously. " _Mm-mm, I can pick you up again right now if you want!_ " He remarked, wrapping his arms around her.

"Argh." He gasped as she gave him a sharp slap across the face and roughly pushed him away. "Wow – ok!"

" _Arrogant git!_ " She growled.

"Hm-mm, not very _original_ , Con!" Sam chuckled again.

" _Shut up!_ "

"Why? - because you know best?" He retorted in amusement. "Maybe you _don't_ know best this time."

"I _always_ know best." She hissed through gritted teeth.

He sniggered. "Your ego's bigger than mine!"

" _No one's_ ego is bigger than yours!" She responded abruptly. "I think you should go."

"Some things are more important than what _you think_." He remarked.

" _Nothing is more important than what I think!_ " Connie snapped her anger getting the better of her.

Sam snorted. "Right – you _actually_ said that!"

"Don't you dare mention that _ever again!_ " She shot back. " _Not to anyone_."

Connie made to leave, but Sam wedged himself in the doorway, blocking her.

"Get out of my way."

"Nope." He replied stubbornly.

She tried to push him out the way, but he was too strong and remaining obstructing her path. More than that though – his arms encircled her waist, pulling her against him.

" _Get out!_ " She yelled, slapping him sharply across the face for the second time that evening.

Sam had been expecting it – in fact, he had more or less _asked for it_ , but it still took him by surprise. He gasped at the sudden harsh contact between her hand and his face and staggered back through the doorway, overbalancing.

Connie instinctively reached for him as he fell, her hands going to the back of his head to prevent him banging it. She collapsed on top of him as they landed on the floor – knocking the wind out of him.

"Sorry." She whispered as he tried to recover from his loss of air.

"It's ok." Sam answered, replacing his arms around her middle as her hands moved down to his neck affectionately. "Feel better now?"

Connie sighed. He had got his way - _as usual_. She had yelled at him. "Mm-hm." She agreed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He answered. "Now, where's my kiss?"

" _Your kiss?_ " She remarked, eyeing him warily.

"mm-hm, that's how we roll, isn't it Mrs Beauchamp? _You slap me and then we kiss._ "

"Hm-mm, I'm not sure I _want_ to kiss you, Mr Strachan." She replied seductively massaging his neck with her hands.

"You _do_ though – don't you!" Sam grinned – his tone now matching Connie's. "In fact, you slapped me _twice_." He commented. "So I reckon you owe me _two_ kisses!"


End file.
